


The Quietest Birdsong

by hollyandvice (hiasobi_writes)



Series: Holly's Round Seven H/C Bingo Card [9]
Category: Power Rangers Dino Thunder
Genre: Gen, Muteness, Permanent Injury
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-03
Updated: 2016-07-03
Packaged: 2018-07-19 23:48:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,113
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7382455
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hiasobi_writes/pseuds/hollyandvice
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>They shouldn't be as surprised as they are at the way Kira picks herself up and dusts herself off from what should be a devastating loss. She's been doing it for months. Aka the one where Kira loses her voice and her friends have to learn how to deal with how well she's handling it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Quietest Birdsong

**Author's Note:**

> There is a conspicuous absence of parents in this fic, mostly because I couldn't be bothered to find a way to work it into the existing canon. Takes place some time vaguely post-series in a world where they didn't lose their powers during the defeat of Mesogog.

It starts as an ache in her lungs that spreads up her chest and throat and into her mouth. The ache turns to a burning and then to a white-hot pain that leaves her light-headed and dizzy. She can't help it. She opens her mouth and screams.

\----

For the first seventy-two hours after the attack that steals Kira's voice, the whole team is searching frantically for a solution. She stands beside them, fighting as best she can without the additional strength of her dino powers, but she isn't as invested as the rest of them are. She knows, in a way that none of the rest of them seem to, that this is permanent.

The first one she confides in is Hayley. Kira settles on a stool at the counter and pulls out the little laptop Hayley had given her to communicate quickly. Kira's long through with typing out what she needs Hayley to know before Hayley makes it back over with her shake.

_I need resources to learn ASL._

Kira flips the laptop around and Hayley glances at it quickly at first before zeroing in on it with that laser-like focus that she only gives to the most important projects. She looks up at Kira, and Kira can see the way she's fighting down the sympathy that Kira had flat out told them she didn't want.

"Kira…" Hayley says, voice careful and uncertain. "Are you sure?"

Kira turns the laptop back around, typing furiously. Hayley waits her out, and when Kira turns the laptop back around, her eyes go straight to the screen.

_We both know this isn't going away any time soon. I need to go back to living my life._

Hayley stares at the words for a long time before leaning forward and pressing a fierce kiss to the center of Kira's forehead. "I'll see what I can dig up," she says quietly.

Kira nods and goes back to the laptop, pulling up an essay for school and getting to work on it. If she's going to go on living her life, she has to start with what she knows.

\----

Doctor O. is the second one she tells. She's in his lab, practicing on her laptop with the ASL course Hayley had found her, thinking that he'd still be at school for another few hours.

When she looks up to see him watching her with a sad look on his face, she feels her face go hot.

"We're going to fix this, Kira," Doctor O. says quietly. "I swear, we are."

Kira shakes her head, minimizing the practice and typing for a few moments. Doctor O. approaches her slowly, giving her time to finish her thought, and when he reaches her, she just holds the laptop up to him.

_I have to act like we're not. It's been a week and there's no sign that this is going to get any better. I have to go back to my life, Doc._

"Kira--"

She shakes her head at the placating tone in his voice and immediately grabs the laptop back from him, slamming it shut and shoving it in her bag. She's on her feet and ready to storm out the door before he reaches out and touches her elbow.

"I'm sorry. I know this has been harder on you than on any of us. I shouldn't have pushed."

Kira nods once, briskly, but still marches up the stairs and out the door. She doesn't have the energy or the patience to deal with his guilt right now.

\----

She tells the boys all at the same time, though "tells" is a generous term. It happens during one of the brainstorming sessions that have become both useless and commonplace since her voice was stolen. Hayley's been learning ASL along with her, and they've been practicing together, though Kira's also started looking into ASL schools and college coursework around the city with the intent of interacting with people that may at least come close to understanding what she's going through.

She signs a quick, harsh, **I don't like this,** at Hayley in the middle of a discussion and Hayley replies with an automatic, "I know, Kira," and the boys all fall immediately silent. Ethan's eyes are wide and betrayed, Conner looks concerned, and Trent… well, Trent looks positively murderous.

"What the hell was that?" Trent asks, voice low and intense.

"ASL," Hayley supplies while Kira taps away at her laptop. "Kira and I are learning."

"And why are you doing that?" Trent's voice is still cold and angry.

Kira turns her laptop around, having just finished answering what she knew would be the inevitable question. _I know you're going to keep trying, but I have to live my life. Even if that means living like this isn't going to get fixed._

"But Kira," Ethan says, something aching and broken in his voice, "what about your music?"

Kira grits her teeth and goes back to typing on the laptop. It's a struggle not to break or snap or try in vain to scream at them, but she manages it. _I can still play my guitar, and I can still write songs. I'll take the win, to be honest._

All three of the boys stare at her words for a long moment. Trent's the one that breaks the silence, swearing loudly before turning and storming out of Doctor O.'s lab and up the stairs. Doctor O. takes one look at Kira, who just nods, and then he's off and running, yelling Trent's name as he goes. Ethan's the next to react, reaching out to clasp Kira's hand in his. Conner seems to shake himself at that, going a step further and stepping around to Kira's side of the table and embracing her.

"If you're sure," he says softly, and Kira can't help the way she squeezes her eyes shut, burying her face in Conner's chest. She's not sure, but she's tired of living in limbo. She has to move forward. She has to.

She nods once against his chest, and Conner tightens his arms around her. "Alright. Then we're behind you one hundred percent."

Kira snorts, and Conner draws back, clearly knowing what--or rather who--she's thinking about. "He'll come around, Kira. I'm sure of it. He'll come around, and until then, you have the rest of us. You're not alone."

Kira looks up at the boy that she used to call her leader, the boy that became the man in front of her, and smiles as she nods.

It's going to be a long time before things feel normal again, but it's a start, and sometimes that's all you need to survive.

**Author's Note:**

> Part of my second bingo for Round Seven of H/C Bingo, with a drive-by beta from the always lovely [Tina](http://idoltina.tumblr.com/).
> 
> [Come hang out with me on tumblr!!](http://hollyandvice.tumblr.com/)


End file.
